Project Title:

Multi-layer Conductive Thermal Control Coatings via the Sol Cel Process

	  94-1	09.01	9786

	  Multi-layer Conductive Thermal Control Coatings via the Sol Cel 
	  Process

Abstract:

Sol-gel processing has been proved to be a successful route to 
make diverse ceramics coatings. In this proposal, a multi-layer 
ceramic coating via the sol-gel process has been proposed, with 
the transition metal oxides (ZnO, FeTiO3, VO2) basecoats having 
the required optical properties for spacecraft thermal control, 
and the antimony-dopped tin oxide (ATO) or indium-tin oxide(ITO) 
overcoat provides high electrical conductivity (up to 103Q-Icm-1) 
for electrostatic discharge control. By controlling the 
solubility and the hydrolysis/ polymerization rates of different 
alkoxides, thin coatings can be deposited on the substrate 
sequentially. Also, these transition metal oxide have 
electrically modified Optical properties, thus resulting the 
optical properties of the coatings can also be modified 
electrically.

If the proposed research is successful, the sol-gel process will 
provide a low cost technology to make condutive thermal control 
coatings. The thermal control coatings can also be applied on 
many applications beside in the space environments. The 
applications areas include heat exchanger, heat radiator, furnace 
manufacturing and photothermal coatings. A conductive optical 
switchable coating can provide more flexibility for the 
designers. In addition, the multilayer coating technology may be 
applied on many systems, eg. electrochromic, thermochromlc, 
electroptic coating, and many electrical and optical application.

Key words

Chemat Technology Inc.
19365 Business Center Drive, # 8
Northridge, CA 91324